The Differences of Social Dance Between East Coast and West Coast - Essay Example

 The differences of social dance between east coast and west coast‏ The serene flow of music and the lyrics encapsulate the tired and stressful minds momentarily. With the changing trends, the music has also evolved and has passed through many experiments. The musicians realizing the dire need of time have completely changed the compositions and have presented to the audience a form that is thoroughly enjoyed. One of the forms of music is the rap music. There is no definite source which can determine the origin of this type of music, but it is said to have originated in early 15th and 16th century in Britain. The roots of this music can be found in Griots, who through their storytelling tradition led to the formation of this sort of music. The tradition of storytelling that was a popular mode of communication in Africa was transported to America when they were made slaves against their will. “One way they would cope with the tremendous amount of pain & heartbreak of slavery would be to sing. While they were working in the fields they would often sing using “call to answer”. One leader would call out a certain part of a song and the rest of the slaves would answer with the next line. In modern times performing artists call this emceeing or crowd participation” (Mize). With this rap music travelled through cities and was accepted as a new yet entertaining form of music. In 1970’s rap music gained popularity and with the first release of the music album by Sugarhill Gang it became to be known as a proper genre. “By the 1990s, rap matured from an old-school-style – which was based o­n relatively simple lyrics – to a new-school-style, which was louder and included more complex lyrics” (plasticlittleraps). It completely revolutionized the music and youngsters began to follow their favorite rap singers. The popular rap singers were Tupac and Wallace aka The Notorious Big; they were contemporaries and belonged to West and East coasts respectively. These two popular figures were assassinated and to this date the mystery of the murder still remains an enigma. Tupac was killed to avenge the insult and humiliation of one of the members of the Crips. After his murder in 1996, Wallace was associated with the murder under suspicion. To avoid any sort of trouble he made it clear in the press that he is remotely involved in the murder. However despite his justifications 6 months later in 1997 he was killed by unknown assailants. With this the rivalry between East Coast and the West coast grew and became stronger over the years to a degree that even today these coasts differ in their culture, music and dance forms. Los Angeles represents the West coast and is considered to be the heart of dance. The city produces extremely fine dancers that take the audience in a state of awe. There are many academies and classes are held for teaching the conventions of dancing. New York that represents the style of East Coast is full of youngsters who are passionate and devoted towards learning new forms of styles that can make them different from the West Coast. “In the image-conscious environs of Hollywood, it is no surprise that the dance world is putting its best fashionable foot forward” (Jones and Peters). Both the coasts differ in their choreography. Breaking, B-boying and popping and locking are widely taught in the West Coast. They are the quintessential of these dance forms. The dancers of West Coast are very versatile and easily adapt to the changing trends. The East Coast on the other hand skillfully fuses other dance forms in one performance. Their main aim is to incorporate the element of humor in their dance. Laurie Taylor says “Dancers are now interested in work that combines technical prowess with athleticism and, most of all, fun” (Jones and Peters). So the East Coast dancers bring novelty and fun in their dance forms. The swing dance is popular in both the coasts. A little difference exists in the swing dance for both the East and West coasts. The dancers enjoy performing swing dance. The choice of music and the patterns formed are totally different from each other and it is in the choice of music and the formed patterns that vividly shows the difference between the two coasts. The East coast uses a small space while dancing. They do not need an entire room to move about because the dance is a set pattern of movements that is performed in a limited space. The couples move round and round. The lead and his partner move in an opposite manner. If the lead takes a left step the follow would take the right step. The West Coast moves up and down forming a slot. The dancers usually need a big space to perform. They generally take a considerable large space and the lead moves a smaller distance while the follow moves through the slot. Within the swing dance there are many other forms of dance. These forms are made part of the swing dance. The skilled dancers show their skills by fusing these dance forms in their swing dance. “These swing patterns also have a lot of variations under a number of names.  EC-type names include east coast swing, jitterbug, Lindy hop, jive, and boogie-woogie.  WC-type names include west coast swing, push, whip, and shag” (Strong). The east coast swing has a false name “jitterbug”. The name is said to have evolved from Lindy Hop that was popular during the 1940’s. With the changing time it has also evolved and now the modern dancers fuse it with the rock and roll along with the swing music. This form of dance takes a lot of space and energy of the dancers. West coast swing dance is comparatively slow and formal. “ Unlike the circular patterns of East Coast Swing, West Coast dancers often staying within a specific rectangular slot on the dance floor, moving in an up and down section” (Myballroomdanceclub) East coast is spirited and has a wild nature and West coast swing is considered a sensual form of dance. Both the dances can be performed on pop, blues and country music. The swing dance is popular in both the coasts and with its uniqueness and difference both the dances represent their respective culture and music. The costs define the dance in their own way that truly shows the nature of their region. Though the rivalry between the two costs was initiated with the assassination of the famous pop singers, both the coasts have managed to put behind the differences and conflicts and have emerged to be acknowledged as the best in dance forms. They both teach the different styles that are unique in their respective forms. Apart from the different style they even differ in the form of dressing and shoes. East coast is more spirited and wild so the choice of dress is made according to the demand of the dance. They do not go for a traditional way of styling instead they choose loud colors and the short dresses for female dancers. The male dancers on the other hand wear jeans and bright colors. This brings out the wildness that is the main theme of this sort of dance. The West coast is the sensual dance so they make the choice of light colors that can highlight the tenderness of the dancers. The choice of music for both the coasts is different. The East coast chooses the loud music while the other coast makes use of tender and light music that can complement the mood and dance. The East coast dancers usually wear flat shoes or very high heels. The female dancers of the West coast wear medium heels. With these dances both the coasts try to entertain the audience and show their skills. There are many dance academies in both the coasts that teach dance to their students. Both the coasts manage to produce the fine dancers that can truly represent their coast and can define their culture and style. This dance form is gaining popularity and with the passage of time it is becoming common in many regions of the world. Many other countries are teaching this style to their young dancers. Though both East and West coasts differ in their pattern and style but still they have managed to establish their identity as a separate and popular form of dance. References Jones, Jen, and Jen Peters. "In This Issue." Dance Magazine. 2015. Web. 1 June 2015. Mize, Cole. "History of Rap - The True Origins of Rap Music." ColeMizeStudios. 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 1 June 2015. Myballroomdanceclub."Ballroom Dance Lessons in Atlanta." Ballroom Dance Clubs of Atlanta. 24 Aug. 2011. Web. 1 June 2015. Plasticlittleraps. "History of Rap Music." Plasticlittleraps. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 June 2015. Strong, Mike. "East and West Coast Swing Very Briefly." KCDance Home Page. Kansas City Social Dance, 1999. Web. 1 June 2015.   Read More